Exchequers of the Bank of Ghana affirmed their superiority in domestic hockey following a flawless run to victory in the year-ending Sapholda Greater Accra Hockey Association (GAHA) knockout gala tournament, crowning it all with a 2-0 win over fiercest rivals, Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), in the men's final at the Theodosia Okoh Stadium on Saturday.
The latest milestone completes a dominant year for Exchequers, who also retained the Sapholda GAHA Hockey League in September, having also successfully defended the annual Fetu Afahye Hockey Cup in Cape Coast in August.
The winners of the country's flagship knockout competition when it was last held in 2023, Exchequers served notice of their intentions to complete a league and cup double again with a ruthless 7-2 demolition of Ark Men in the opening quarter final round on November 15 to set up a semi-final clash against the only team to beat them in the 2025 league campaign, Ghana Army.
The soldiers were not so lucky this time and were sent packing, 3-1 on November 22, to set up a tantalising finale against hot rivals, GRA.
Keen to appease their supporters after losing out on the league title by the narrowest of margins, on goal difference, GRA wasted no time in dispatching Legon Knights 3-1 after a penalty shootout in the very opening match of the 2025 Sapholda GAHA Gala on November 22, before outlasting Reformers of Ghana Prisons 4-3 in a scintillating semi-final encounter a week later.
The taxmen's quest to avenge their double loss by an aggregate of 10-0 to Exchequers during the regular season, however, hit a snag again as they fell short, failing to answer the two goals scored by their rivals and will have to console themselves with the 2025 T-Tommy Memorial Tournament trophy they annexed in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, in July.
In sharp contrast, the GRA Royal Ladies once again proved their peerless mettle in the women's game by strolling to another success, and added another trophy to their ever-burgeoning collection.
The Royal Ladies also won all of the T-Tommy Memorial, Fetu Afahye and Sapholda GAHA league titles in a year that began with a successful conquest of the African Club Champions Cup for a third successive time in Ismailia, Egypt.
After drawing a bye in the opening round of a 6-team division, the Royal Ladies entered the gala competition in the semi-finals with a 4-0 whitewash of Police Ladies to set up a final clash against Reformers Ladies last Saturday which they edged 2-1 to seal their unrivalled dominance of Ghanaian club hockey.
The Seniors and Youth tournaments, first-time additions to the gala tournament, saw Golden Sticks defeat Sapholda 3-1 and Einstein Academy overcome Tema Manhean by the same result in their respective finals. On the way to the finals, Golden Sticks had crushed Multi Sticks 5-0 after drawing a bye into the semi-final, whilst Einstein also drew a bye into the last 4, where they saw off University of Ghana 1-0.
